the littlest of hands are the ones that reveal us
by particularly good finder
Summary: All it took was one visit from Finn's little cousin to turn the peace of the Hummel-Hudson clan into chaos.


Finn was twelve years old the day he met little Miriam Welch. His mom cooed and sighed and kept telling her sister, Margaret, that Miriam was the prettiest little baby she had ever seen. Finn just thought she looked like a raisin.

After that the Hudson family never saw much of Margaret or Miriam. Matthew, Margaret's husband (yes, his name started with 'M' too), was a military man, and the family moved frequently and across many states, while Carole and Finn remained in their hometown of Lima, Ohio. A Christmas when Miriam was two the family dropped by, and little Miri attached herself to Uncle Finn (he was her cousin, yes, but the little girl couldn't be swayed to call him otherwise). She was a chubby little thing, with grubby, sticky hands and an ever-constant smile, and Uncle Finny was her favorite person in the world.

A few years later, Carole married Burt Hummel, and Finn found himself roommate and stepbrother to gayer-than-life Kurt. It was awkward at first, but soon the boys came to an…_agreement_, of sorts.

The Hummel-Hudson clan was content and at peace, until little Miriam Welch came to stay with Aunt Carole and Uncle Finny one week in February.

* * *

"Oh, sweetie, that's so pretty. Who are those people?" Carole asked, crouching down to where Miri scribbled furiously on a piece of paper.

The brown-eyed girl looked up, grinning. "It's US!" She said, holding up the paper to her aunt. Carole examined the stick figures patiently, a silly grin spreading across her mouth.

"Oh, really? Let's see…this is…?"

Miri poked at the two people. "You and Mr. Burt! See, you two are watching TV on tha couch!"

Carole giggled. "And her?"

"That's _me_!" The little girl exclaimed happily.

"And these two must be Finn and Kurt?" Carole asked, pointing to the last two people. Miri nodded energetically. "Um, sweetie, Kurt and Finn are roommates. They don't share a bed."

Sure enough, the two crudely drawn boys were lying in one bed together, music notes from a crayon iPod dancing around them.

Miriam pouted. "But that's what they were doing when you and Mr. Burt were-"

The little girl was interrupted as Finn ducked his head into the room. "Mom! Can Kurt and I go to the park?"

Carole looked up, nodding. "Sure, hun. Take Miri with you."

The curly-haired girl jumped up, drawing forgotten. "YAY!"

Finn nodded, looking slightly apprehensive. "Um, sure Mom. We'll take her."

"Take who?" Kurt walked into the room, placing sunglasses precariously on top of his perfectly coifed head.

"Kurty! We're going to the park!" Miriam ran over to her almost-cousin, jumping into his arms. "Park time!"

Kurt glanced at Finn, before turning his attention to the little girl. "Is that what you're wearing to the park, Mee? 'Cause those shoes are just too precious to scuff up with _nature_…"

Miri snuggled against Kurt's chest. "But these are my _favorites_!"

Kurt laughed, kissing her cheek. "Well, of course they are, Mee. They're _fabulous_."

Finn laughed, waving to his mom as he led his brother and cousin out the door. "See ya later, Mom!"

Carole waved, looking back down at Miriam's drawing. Waving aside feelings of suspicion, the woman left the room, humming under her breath.

* * *

"Hey there, Miri-bug. Watcha wearing?" Burt asked the little girl. She looked up from her spot on the couch, wiggling her feet happily.

"Finn's t-shirt," she answered. "Kurty called it 'Sportsy Sheek.'"

Burt chuckled, ruffling the girl's hair. "You want to say goodnight to the boys?"

The girl nodded, allowing herself to be picked up by Mr. Burt. He carried the small girl down the basement stairs, where they found Finn and Kurt lounging on their beds, chatting.

"Miri-bug wants to say goodnight," Burt told the boys, setting the girl down. She ran over to Finn, crawling into his lap.

"Can I sleep here tonight?" She asked, snuggling into Finn's chest. The boy laughed and consented.

"Kurty, too?" She asked, pointing a grubby finger at her new cousin. Burt stepped in, cautious as how to approach the subject.

"Ah, no, sweetie, the boys probably don't want to share a bed. Just sleep with Finn tonight, and Kurt tomorrow night."

The little girl pouted. "Aww…"

Finn laughed again. "It's okay. C'mere, Kurt." Kurt crossed the room, settling onto the bed next to Finn. Miriam curled up between them happily.

Burt sighed. "You two really spoil her."

Kurt winked at his dad, then whispered. "It's only until she falls asleep."

The older man chuckled again, bidding the kids goodnight. As he walked up the stairs, he heard Miri's voice drift from below. "You'll stay with me _a-a-all_ night, right?"

Finn's voice followed. "Of course, pumpkin. We'll be here when you wake up."

* * *

"You know, the boys are just so sweet around Miri. They put aside their differences and cooperate, just to make her happy. Can we keep her?" Burt asked, rinsing off a dish in the sink the last evening before Miri's parents got back.

Carole laughed. "Oh, that would be nice. I like not having to mediate their arguments. They're always so…frivolous, too; never anything of importance. It's like the boys don't know how to act normally around each other."

"Drop it, Finn!"

"No!"

"Finn Hudson, I swear to god-"

"I'm not dropping it, Kurt!"

"Why do you care if I hang out with Blaine this weekend? You and Artie were planning on that big _Call of Duty_ marathon. Why can't I hang out with my friend?"

"I don't trust him."

"Because he's gay?"

"You know that's not-"

"So it's okay for you to hang out with Artie because he's _straight_?"

"Well, _yes_. But Kurt-"

"NO! Finn, just leave me alone!"

"Kurt-"

"We are _not_ having this conversation right now. Not here."

Carole and Burt looked at each other, sighing. So much for the peace and quiet tonight.

"Boys! What's all this arguing about?" Burt asked as he and his wife walked into the living room where their sons stood. Kurt had his hands crossed in front of him angrily, and Finn looked like he was torn between crying and shouting.

"Nothing, Dad." Kurt said icily, glaring at Finn.

"Kurty! Uncle Finn! Stop fighting!" Miriam waddled off of the couch, her chubby hands on her hips. "Make up! Now!"

Finn and Kurt looked at each other, glares softening.

Miri was still pouting. "Did you make up?"

Kurt sighed, holding his hand out to Finn. "I'm sorry you're irrationally overprotective."

The taller boy grinned. "I'm sorry you have terrible choice in men."

Burt and Carole shared amused expressions that quickly turned to confusion as Kurt muttered, "You would know."

Miriam looked happier. "Now, hug and kiss and make it all better."

The boys shared a brief hug, rolling their eyes at the little girl in front of them. Burt coughed to stifle his laughter. Carole grinned widely.

The little girl didn't seem appeased, though. "No! I said hug and _kiss_. Kiss!"

Carole cut in as Burt cleared his throat. "Uh, honey, don't make the boys kiss each other. They don't want to do that."

Miriam looked thoroughly confused. "But they do it all the time!"

Kurt's face paled rapidly; Finn's turned bright red. Carole tilted her head to the side.

"Do they now?" The boys exchanged desperate glances.

Finn spoke up first. "Uh, you know, like, friendly kisses. Like if Kurt was a sister or something."

Kurt elbowed the taller boy indiscreetly. "Or a gay brother. See?" He stood on his tiptoes, planting a firm, chaste kiss onto Finn's cheek.

Burt and Carole accepted their answer, but Miri huffed in exasperation. "No! Like you always do before we go to sleep! On the lips!"

Kurt's hand was suddenly on Miri's mouth, and Finn had tripped over a couch cushion. Burt and Carole stared at their sons open-mouthed, at a complete loss for words.

"Kurt…Finn…I think we need to talk…" Carole said slowly. "Miriam, why don't you go draw for a while?"

"What about their kiss?" She asked. Finn sighed and pulled the smaller boy towards him, mashing their lips together quickly. Burt stormed from the room, looking for something to kill his stepson with. Carole looked like she was going to faint.

The little girl skipped away happily. Finn resisted glaring at his favorite cousin. Kurt did anyways.

* * *

Miri left the next morning, stubby hands waving furiously at her Uncle Finn and Cousin Kurty as the car sped away. The rest of the day had been spent awkwardly with their parents, who now had a _very_ good reason to not let the boys out of their sights. It wasn't until Burt and Carole went to bed that Kurt and Finn got some alone time.

Finn's baggy t-shirt hung from Kurt's thin frame, grazing the tops of his thighs in such a way that Finn's boxers suddenly felt a bit tighter. He lounged on Finn's bed, sleepily tracing patterns on the quilt.

Finn spread out next to him, kissing his stepbrother gently. "Funny, it's weird not having a peanut-butter covered midget between us."

Kurt laughed. "That sounded so…kinky."

The taller boy blushed. "I miss her already. I loved having that monkey around."

Kurt nodded. "As much as I loathe children, especially the dirty ones, she was something special. She had a lot of you in her."

Finn smiled. "Funny. She sort of reminded me of you."

Kurt closed his eyes, snuggling closer to his boyfriend. "I hope our daughter is like that."

They both froze; Kurt blushed, realizing too late what he had said.

Finn looked at Kurt, an odd expression coming over his face. "You…you mean that?"

The smaller boy nodded sheepishly. Finn's face lit up.

"Well, obviously we would have more than one daughter."

"Of course. We don't want a Rachel clone."

"So one of them could turn out like Miri."

"You know, I like the name Delia."

"That's pretty. I'm seeing a Sunny, maybe."

"For a child of yours, that's perfect."

"Sunny and Delia…it has a nice ring to it."

Kurt's eyes started drooping, and he pulled the covers over himself and Finn. "They will be gorgeous, talented, kind-hearted, perfect little girls…"

Finn kissed Kurt's cheek. "With your eyes, I hope."

Kurt sighed contently. "And your smile."

"Your grace."

"Your personality."

"Your voice."

"Your laugh."

"Your dancing skills."

They both laughed sleepily, and the conversation lulled. Kurt was soon asleep, and Finn watched him happily, letting his own fatigue overtake him.

"Two little Miriams…what a wonderful life we'll have…" Finn muttered before letting his eyes finally close.


End file.
